Changing the System
by hugoGrant
Summary: Levi has a theory on how the perfect world he finds himself in to be imperfect. With Petra's help, he verifies his doubts, realizing that little was as it seemed. There are many small references to Psycho-Pass, but they're not significant.
1. The Meeting

Life was as one could come to expect. Seeing the statistics, it was obvious that humanity had to come together to tackle the problems with its success: overpopulation. This was solved through a few minor changes: mandatory castration after the parenting of two children, alterations to the food supply and cramped living space. The world was slowly turning into a sprawling megalopolis, hungrily consuming the countryside.

Houses gave way to honeycomb apartments as a part of the solution to the population issue. The honeycombs were communal apartment buildings with all rooms except a bedroom shared. The bedroom was not quite a room – it was a three foot tall, four foot wide hexagonal cut into a massive wall. Wall displays, a mattress and a shelf of a few prized possessions was all that the hexagons contained.

Petra descended from her cubby in the topmost layer that could access the 130th floor of her apartment. The short ginger climbed down with practiced ease despite the astonishing hour. At four, as dawn began to turn the winter skies of Shinshiga grey, Petra felt like the last human alive. It was ironic that she passed hundreds of sleeping souls to the communal bathroom and yet felt quite lonely. It was, she knew, the result of her occupation and hardworking nature. It was not that she was required to be awake at four, merely that she chose to in a futile attempt to earn a little profit.

As a public defendant, she did not earn too much. In fact, to say she earned was, on many days, entirely false. Yet she strove. She was pursuing a good cause and felt that she would be rewarded in due time by some higher force. Of course, her landlady, her father and many of her friends reminded her of the practicalities of money.

Petra sighed, taking the empty train to the local court, gripping the pepper spray at both the intervening stations out of fear of the city. The city was safe, but at four in the morning, it was common practice for people to say she was "asking for it." She was a lawyer and knew that even with technology, rape was the hardest thing to prove. Not that it happened often: crime was so rare that the police were largely sinecures and yet, somehow, work got done. There were rarely convictions and the court was generally empty except for a few lawsuits where one of the parties were poor enough to stoop to Petra's level. Not that she was bad, it was just that she was unknown.

The subway stopped at the court's station where there was a direct underground path to the building. All transport was managed underground as it was known that these short transits were best not built in places where people would actually enjoy the sparse sunlight. Living spaces, offices and other facilities where people would spend entire days were allocated sunlight spaces – Petra's modest hexagon did have a window-screen.

The court waiting area was, by design, well-lit. Here, poor criminals looked at the sorry bunch of lawyers that gathered to be the last, feeble net between them and prison. Fortunately, today, they got Petra. At this hour, they would be guaranteed Petra as she was the only person behind the screen waiting for a potential sum.

Petra began to read her book on her visor – a small headband she kept on except in the shower or bed to keep her up to date on every detail of her hectic life. Suddenly, as the plot began to twist, a throat cleared and the visor alerted her of a visitor. Petra glanced about, secretly scanning for the missing competition. It was only five thirty in the morning and nobody made their usual seven o'clock entrance early.

Behind the screen in front of her stood a short man. His black eyes and hair gave him an intensity that made up for his height. He looked at Petra with some authority that a criminal did not have rights to have. Most did. They were depressed by fate and turned to some irrational air of superiority. Petra knew how to dismiss their attitude quite quickly. "How may I help?" She asked.

"In the obvious way."

"Crime?"

"Free thought."

"Actually. Crime?"

"Thinking against the government, wanting a better world-"

"We all want that, so why are you on coals for it?"

"Because I tried for it."

"How?" Petra emphasized the boredom in her voice, hoping that her act was stronger than his.

"Killing a judge."

"What's the evidence?"

"My presence and knife."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Hand over the brief, the case will be quick."

"You're sure?"

"Intent to kill is not the same as killing. Therapy will be mandated by the system and then you will be free as if little happened."

"Little?"

"What?"

"You said 'little,' not 'nothing.'"

"There will be innocuous monitoring."

"Innocuous?"

"Yes. The government will track you."

"I already think they do."

"Well then, nothing will change."

"Do I owe you?"

"I wish."

"And when's the hearing?"

"Judge will come in at eight, so we have just over two hours."

The man sat down. After a silence in which Petra tried to read over the brief, the man cleared his throat once more. "Yes?" Petra said.

"Why law?"

"What?"

"Why be a lawyer?"

"Public service."

"Like this? Surely there's a better way."

"Like?"

"The police, the court system, some business, research, something different."

"Somebody's got to do it."

"Why you?"

"Why you?"

"What?"

"Why would you be the martyr or whatever vigilante to uncover some corrupt government?"

"I threatened the judge to get here and get a feel for the system."

"What?"

"I wish to learn what makes the system tick, how it works, how people judge other people, how people lose, how they win, how they're caught, how they improve and most of all how they feel."

"So you put yourself in trouble?"

"You might be the best person to ask. How long would the therapy be?"

"Actually, and sorry if this messes up your research, but reading your brief, it seems that you could be freed completely."

"The research is interviewing you."

"What's your name?"

"Levi Ackerman." Petra began to search the man on the internet, hoping he did not have something more menacing in his record. "Online, I go by Makishima."

"Psycho-pass?"

"It's a joke I'm playing on myself."

"You probably have his sense of humour."

"As a character in an Anime, he's too perfect: no real human can be that way."

"So, do you wish to destroy the system as your avatar did?"

"In a way. I want to understand how the system works."

"Why?"

"Find out if it needs destruction."

"Surely a modification would do the trick." The system was a democratic model based on a representative government that proposed change and the people who all voted on the changes online. People could suggest laws to representatives, but there was little chance those changes were implemented.

"The more one knows, the better, I would say."

"Fascinating. What bothers you about the system?"

"Long story."

"We have got time."

"It goes into my childhood."

"I'll go into mine if it makes you feel better."

"If you insist on it, I will tell you everything."

"I insist."

"Legally?"

"What will I be bound to?"

"Secrecy."

"Where do I sign?"

"I've recorded it on my site through your visor."

"Let's hope this doesn't mess me up, right?" Petra said in a quirky which oscillated between humour and concern.


	2. Levi's Life

"As a child, I was raised in a very criminal district – the infamous underground." Levi paused, as if for dramatic effect. "How old are you?"

"22."

"So you would know it and remember something of the Kenny Ackerman case."

"My dad was the detective – Ral – who was on it for the last month."

"I see. I'm Kenny's son."

"So, did the government put you in the intensive therapy system?"

"For the two weeks they could keep me within that hell."

"Alright."

"But before his discovery, I had much contact with the cohorts of the man. His friends were minor criminals and magically, a day before your dad showed up, Kenny vanished."

"I know – dad complains about it to this day."

"Yes, but there was something odd."

"What?"

"I felt I could predict the officer's every move."

"How so?"

"For example, now, I can assure you: you will see an officer coming here to check on us and claim my insanity."

A stout, bald man hobbled in. "Petra! How are you doing?"

"Can't complain, officer Reiss."

"I forgot to warn you that the man you see is delusional."

"It's quite alright, I think the case manual covered it already. I think he's being treated well."

"All right. Have a good time!" Reiss walked away.

"See?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"You lack too much evidence. You'll have to give me more a coincidence: something I can disprove."

"Therefore, more data, or different data?"

"Both." Levi closed his eyes. After a few minutes, Petra asked: "why me?"

"What?"

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Really?"

"Well?"

"Because you seem familiar."

"How?"

"Beats me. Maybe I just like the way you look. Either way, as you said, we have got a lot of time."

"So, then, what is the crazy theory?"

"Studying the criminals, I found a pattern: immediately before their crime, a key factor went missing or lucky policemen appeared or some flaw in their plan played out. They almost always said that they 'thought it would happen.' This led me to wonder how the government was so perfect. I saw the near zero crime rate, your infinitesimal purpose, and I wondered how the system managed. With an ever growing population, the chance of a successful crime increases yet the numbers have not."

"So? All you're saying is that the government is too perfect."

"Exactly: you see, something is odd. These are the lowest crime rates, but technology has barely advanced. They speak of some scientific deadlock, and if that were true, why is the nature of the limit so cloudy, but more importantly, then, how is the police staying ahead?"

"Well?"

"I think the government is in our heads. Go on, what will happen?"

"You'll be beat up and disposed of, right, crazed conspiracy theorist."

"Let's see. I think you have control. Whatever you expect will happen. To prove it, don't tell me what to expect."

"Fine."

A second later, an officer appeared with a baton. "It is known that his words may incite a rebellion, Ms. Ral."

"I see."

"Has he told you?"

"Only to further prove his lunacy."

"So you disagree?"

"He's finding flaws in a perfect system. That's barely possible, he must not be rational."

"Well said."

The officer walked away. "To your expectations?"

"Why?"

"The government conjures these officers in all our brains."

"How?"

"I think they're in there."

"So you're saying that the officers are fake?"

"I want to be able to see if they're real."

"Try asking them."

"Didn't really help."

"So what's the evidence?"

"What?"

"You must have more to go on unless you really are insane."

"They appear as you expect, suggesting that they do feed off your brain. When I first told you of the officer, who exactly did you imagine?"

"The second time? Zackly."

"And who came?"

"Zackly."

"Exactly. What did he say?"

"What I expected him to." Petra said, as the implication sunk in.

"You see?"

"Maybe. So what?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're happy this way."

"But I think we have the right to know, that the system should be transparent and inform us."

"Maybe that would kill the system."

"Then does it deserve life?"

"If it keeps the people secure."

"Really? So their security is greater than their right to know?"

"Isn't it always?"

"I think we have the right to understand how our governance works."

"Why? If it is the government's duty to keep the people secure, does it matter what the people know about it?"

"Is it really the single role of the government to keep people secure?"

"Isn't that what the constitution says?"

"But within the right to liberty, isn't there a right to know how the government works? If the government is of the people, how can its constituents not know about it?"

"I guess you may be correct."

"The constitution may be being violated, and I must find out."

"Once you're freed."

"No, now." Levi said with obvious sarcasm.

The courtroom Levi saw for only two minutes attempted to be classical. It fit the quintessential European look and feel as holograms projected to hide grey concrete and the judge's bald head. The robes were probably also holographic, but the short hearing did not give Levi a chance to tell.

Outside the fake, empty room, Petra collected her small payment – 100 credits – and began to walk back towards the slowly filling waiting room. "Thank you." She heard. She turned.

"It's just my job."

"Not that, for listening."

"It's not like I could run."

"I was thinking, what if you worked with me?"

"What?"

"I need an accomplice, somebody to help me get around. I get into trouble for certain things because the government monitors me, but you probably would not."

"Not after talking to you."

"That and I think you know the system better than I do."

"It's my job."

"Exactly."

"But what would you have me do?"

"Research, visit places with me and help."

"You're probably not that good with people either."

"Yes, I'm not – you would help there as well."

"And payment?"

"Don't pretend to care about money."

"But-"

"You get food and healthcare from the government; I'm sure you can afford rent, so why do you need credits?"

"Father."

"Really?"

"In a way."

"If it's a no, then, fine." Levi walked off quickly, rudely, as rudely as he entered. Petra sighed, feeling that she let the poor man down. Subconsciously, as a thought experiment, she began to except things of officers – common details such as which officer and what tone – and most were quite accurate. She could predict the officers and their attitude to the criminals. In fact, she found herself decent at predicting the judges as well. Either Levi was right or she had had too much experience.

The train she took back was much fuller that the one with which she came. She predicted a janitor's moves as her mind drifted off, ignoring the mere 300 credits she garnered for the day.

She climbed into her hexagon after a quick dinner and a quicker shower. She lay down in thought. What if this Levi was right? Before many more thoughts crossed her weary mind, she called Levi via his Makishima account. "Why me?"

"Your merit."

"No, really."

Levi sighed. He turned on a video camera, revealing his own hexagon which mirrored hers. "I feel I can trust you."

"I try, but surely you have more doubts. I certainly have mine about you."

"I don't doubt you because I am irrational as a human."

Petra smirked. "Is that supposed to mean-"

"I'm attracted you – man to woman."

"That's creepy. Now I'm even more put off."

"Sensible, but then again, I'm sure you trust the system."

"Fair enough."

"So, do you want to work for me?"

"With you, I thought."

Levi sighed. "Fine, with."

"Where do we meet?"

"Shinshiga library, I have much to show you."


	3. Levi's Job

Petra woke up at four without the alarm. Groaning at her useless habit, she took her toiletries, opened her hexagon and began to descend. Reaching a bathroom level, Petra entered and found the place empty as always. She brushed and began the morning on auto-pilot, doing everything to prepare to reach the court within half an hour.

The level was a grey maze of cubicles lined with sinks. Each cubicle, enclosing twenty square feet, had a shower and a toilet. Everything was grey or glass as the materials did not matter – during busier hours the holograms would illustrate a quality hotel's bathroom with marble, wood and tiled walls. Petra was familiar with the concrete and barely realized how early she was as she dressed herself and activated her visor.

Immediately, she wanted to slap herself. She could have slept for four more hours – Levi invited her to the library at nine. She sighed and decided to get a head-start on understanding Levi's viewpoint.

Yet, there was a final doubt. She stopped and looked at herself in a mirror. Presentable and alright was how she described her look. "But why did you accept?" She said. "Glory? Doubt? Why?" She looked closely at her eyes. "Is it that you care? Well, he's kind of hot, but, that's not the care you're looking for." She sighed. "You care because you don't want to see him burn."

"Talking to yourself?" It was Hange, a neighbour, who walked up.

"Why are you up so early?"

"So, who's the special guy?"

"What?"

"You're talking to yourself."

"Just that I'm not going to court today."

"So?"

"I'm helping an acquaintance all day and I'm not sure if that's the right decision."

"What would you lose in a day?"

"I know, but I barely know this guy."

"So you like him?"

"So I'm unsure."

"Just go."

"I will, just steeling myself for unusual change. Not to mention, I'm quite curious about myself."

"Fine."

"I know. So why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep – there's too much scientific crap."

"What happened?"

"There were delays in getting parts again and I really hope an experiment goes a certain way."

"Good luck."

"He'll meet you now?"

"I'm researching a little."

"Have fun."

"See you." She walked out knowing that she would either get very bored or too entertained – attracted to or repulsed from Levi.

The library was much like an apartment building. In reality, it was a few selected rooms where data was quicker to access – less of the network to travel through. On top of the 'library' was a real apartment building filled with everything Petra's building had. Yet, the library took up the lower two floors and consisted of rectangular prisms with a few seats each. The library was more often used as a meeting ground than it was used as a research facility.

Petra sat and began to type in prompts. The screens on the walls glowed as her visor interfaced with the data and loaded in the calendar, known accounts and personalization details. Windows – rectangular viewports - of electronic books and few browser ports opened as Petra saw into her theory.

Five minutes in, Petra looked at the twenty ports that had data somewhat relevant to Levi's main theory. She opened a notebook port and quickly scanned in the main points: that the officers may be fake and the government was in the people's minds making then believe about these officers.

In order to understand the points, Petra studied two things: basic psychology to understand how people were being deceived and a history of the system to understand how the hypnotism began.

Though she could not pinpoint an exact time of the government's possession, she did note that crimes dropped quickly two centuries ago and the newer constitution was implemented. The government united all the countries in the world at that time and formed the order that vanquished all the population problems.

The predictions formed the obvious expectations of people because, as Petra read, people did not like to doubt their theories. Because of this, the government created scenarios that people would not doubt. Furthermore, because the brain was too complex, introspection would make this correlation obvious. The system did not have full control.

Petra sighed and noted the final points: that the brain might have been attacked by the government since the unification of the world and that the government did not understand the brain fully – otherwise Petra would have seen some counter-evidence against her theory, but the system evidently could not see every detail about her thoughts.

A knock interrupted her fact-checking. She opened the door. "2, 3, 7. Guess sequences, I'll tell you if it follows the pattern. Every three guesses, guess the sequence, I'll tell you if that is the pattern I am using."

"2, 3, 5."

"Fine."

"13, 17, 19."

"Nope."

"17, 13, 19."

"Nope."

"It has to be one-digit numbers?"

"Nope."

"5, 6, 10."

"No."

"4, 6, 10."

"Fine."

"4, 5, 6."

"Fine."

"Must start even?"

"Yes, good."

"So you've researched."

"The theory that humans like to be right and therefore expect to be right: they verify their theories."

"Yes, the basis of everything fake and its predictability."

"It seems to have started at the unification."

"It seems."

"Also, it applies to most of the worst jobs: the trash people, the judges, the police, the janitors and the receptionists."

"Yes. The system is too bad at faking the people to do anything else."

"It really is." Petra mused. "But why would it?"

"To control everything."

"Fair enough."

"You've been quite proactive." Levi said the words neutrally, but inside he was being pulled into the woman – from the attraction he admitted the night before came the rational pull she gave with her brilliance. How was she a mere public defendant?

"Thanks." Petra turned, lowering her visor to see Levi. "What now?"

"We talk to judges."

"I see. Under what pretext?"

"I was thinking the lowering crime rate."

"Too touchy if they're really human, or my expectation."

"And mine."

"What about how to become a judge?"

"What?"

"We ask them for advice, expect an ego-boost and a pride factor."

"That might be much easier."

"If it works."

"What?"

"Your hiring me would cause what I call the 'bluff' issue."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll never know which layer is the truth."

"As in?"

"The system knows we expect our base expectations to be the truth, therefore, the system would reverse the expectations for us every so often. If we expect that, then the expectation would be for the expectation not to be met, therefore meeting expectations would be the key."

"So we'll never know."

"I think so."

"Well damn."

"Leads me to say, interesting way to ask a girl out."

"I meant it."

"Still, I doubt that that doubt never crossed your mind."

"Fair enough. Did it work?"

"Pretty well."

"I still want to definitively prove or disprove the claim."

"Maybe it's one of those claims one can't – theories that the brain that is perceiving is compromised are generally impossible to prove."

"Yes, maybe I'm pretending – denying the crazy person I am under a pretence of science."

"Yes, I wished there was a shred of proof or a claim we could prove or disprove."

"My stupidity, I got caught up in the traits I lacked and never thought about the system understanding my motives."

"What if it doesn't?"

"What if it's convincing us it doesn't? We'll never be sure."

"Point taken."

"So I guess that's it. It was nice working with you and I wish this went further, but, I hope you don't mind the five hours of court time you missed."

"It was nice. Stop hating yourself so much."

"Well. See you, then." Levi left. Petra felt a pang of guilt, but this was the insecurity she had playing itself out: she worried that there would be minimal evidence against the government for a person to believe them and much less for the legal system.


	4. A Shred of Doubt

Days were liquids. These elements of life, within Petra's state, were definitely dense liquids. The days could flow and blend in a bleak, boring grey stew. The days were heavy and hit Petra like concrete, yet broke into the past as waves. Really, her two days with Levi in them were the better ones she had had for the past four years. Those days were pepper kernels in the sour stew of life she forced herself to drink.

Petra knew the date only because her visor told her. She never kept any physical track and woke up on holidays many times because she did not realize the occasion until after completing her four o'clock routine.

Petra sat at the waiting room wondering what would happen, whether some Levi would rescue her from the boring day. She sat lost in thought, hoping that she would find the internet engaging enough and failing to. Then a message came: "Read this." It was from Levi and it was a link to a book. Petra opened the book which was a study into the "symbolic science of government." Petra felt out of her depth. Symbolic science was a mathematical look at objects and a simple, programmatic way of defining each object in terms of others – data and functionality were symbolically linked to the data and functionality of another item. Objects were linked in a hierarchy of data and took attributes from one and other in families of similar types, the broad super types and every professor in this topic's favourite object: the object itself.

The object object was the definition of all object's behaviour regardless of type, it was the most abstract thing a human could think of: a malleable empty box that every item known somehow embodied.

With this notation (and quirky symbols for every relationship between data), the paper on government was very simple: it defined all the governments that existed. Using a hoard of objects that were defined in economics, governments were seen as "entities that held power over businesses and the needs of the people." The current government was described as an extension of a socialist one, which in turn was an extension of a democracy which extended a base government. There were constants added and defined in the symbolic notation, showing that every form of government had a trust function based on transparency: that the most trusted governments were transparent in their operations to a certain extent (there was a limiting case during wars and other controversial catastrophes).

Petra looked up to find the room full, but she ceased to care. "Does this mean that if we ask the government itself, we may get an answer?" She furiously messaged Levi.

"Maybe. You free?"

"Library in ten?"

"Fifteen, please."

"See you." Petra got up and left, earning curious stares from the assembled bored lawyers.

Petra got to the library to find Levi in one of the stalls. She entered. "So, who to ask?" Levi said.

"I think we'll actually have to do this in an unsavoury way."

"What?"

"We'll have to raise attention to ourselves to interest the government in silencing us."

"How?"

"Be the conspiracy theorists we don't want to be."

"And then force the system to answer us."

"Maybe."

"You realize that that's how all conspiracy theorists work, right?"

"Do you want to skip to doing the illegal?"

"Maybe there's a better way."

"Well?"

"I want to search it up."

"You did raise suspicion last time – that's still on your record."

"I know, I just don't want you to tarnish your record as well for something so improbable."

"Maybe we should start with writings and other things."

"And then see?"

"Why not?"

"Sounds interesting."

"Yes. When do you want to begin the writing?"

"What about now?"

"Well, then, we have quite a few decisions to make."

"Sure."

"What's the outlet?"

"Makishima account."

"Fair. The type – articles, videos, sound, a forum, what?"

"All four."

"I'll call dibs on the writing and forum management."

"Fine. What else?"

"The topics – how do we reveal our theory to the people?" Petra asked.

"Slowly."

"Of course."

"We began through definitions of the government."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Then we proceed on deception."

"With examples from everywhere."

"Obviously. We finish with the theory."

"We should mention the presence of the theory in the first entry."

"You're the writer."

"Then, let's begin?"

"Take a seat." Petra sat and quickly swivelled the chair and moved adjacent to Levi. The library's management software interfaced with both their visors and divided the room as a workspace for both to use. Directly in front of her, Petra began planning the document. She sent Levi's space a small message viewport which he responded to, sending her a duplicate. They decided to make the literature a blog.

Within twenty minutes, Petra uploaded the forum, keeping the subject subtly about older conspiracy theories and their attempted proofs or counterarguments.

Turning back to the blog, she published on the idea of conspiracies, why they occur and whether the government would ever do any of the things suggested by theories.

Levi smiled, showing her the documentary-like video he had made in the meantime. Starting from ancient Egypt, the documentary analysed the conspiracy theories known of since ancient times.

With that, they paused for lunch. The library was not far from the building's cafeteria and the food was standard: a generic stew with generic peas and generic bread on a generic Styrofoam plate. They ate quietly, enjoying each other's presences and the progress they had made through the morning.

"Petra, how would you define our relationship?" Levi asked hesitantly after a while.

"Friends." Petra said with a smirk. "You do wish it to be more, right?"

"I…" Levi blushed, making Petra laugh quietly. "I'm not sure."

"Why not? We could just try, for a while, if you would like."

"I don't know. How do those relationships work for you?"

"Casual, as intimate as we agree to, equitable, I don't know."

"You're not a purist?" Purism was the belief, in one's romantic life, that one only got intimate when they had decided to be parents and would be parents to their two possible children with the same person. The belief was a romanticism of love past – love before the 100% effective nanotechnology contraceptive made any restrictions invalid or a waste of time.

"You are?" Petra asked, restraining her surprise.

"Believe it or not."

"Sorry, I'm not. I am monogamist though – if I become a mother, I want to always be with the same guy." Petra's plans were also not shared as families became very complex despite the two-child limit.

"Well, why don't we continue being friends until we both feel the same way?"

"How do you feel?"

"Don't force me to say it. How do you feel?"

"I like you – more subtly than a crush, but still."

"I'm not sure if I'm in love with you."

"Sorry."

"What for?"

"Being confident that I don't love you."

"It's fine. Maybe you'll come to love me."

Petra smirked. "Keep up the hope."

"No sarcasm?"

"None intended."

"Thank you."

"Let's work?"

There was a shred of doubt in Petra's life. It was around Levi: she did not know whether their work would work or whether they were barking up the wrong tree, or even if there was a tree to bark up. She also did not know how she felt – she knew she liked him and he would end up as more than a friend. How much more than a friend, she could not tell.


	5. The Truth

Days were different now. Petra did not feel bored by the blurry days that passed her by. She did not know the day or the number of days since any event, but she was having fun. She was not waiting for a break, but waiting to break the system.

The blog and forum were both lively as Petra published more specific articles on her and Levi's theory. The forum received a lot of notice with people partaking all over the world. People added accounts of predictable police officers and other out-of-place events. Scientists read it and one even noted that the blog was not crazy "but, thorough and detailed in its analysis." People saw the blog as an erudite place for discussion, not some doubtable conspiracy site. The videos and audio recordings had the same reception as Levi and Petra carefully tailored their media to slowly tell people an insane theory.

A month after the project started, the publication was on the verge of finishing. The night Petra found herself in was the hardest: she had to write the entire theory, based on the evidence, and balance this with the lack and impossibility of proof. In a way, she had to deny readers closure as they lost the ability to prove the interesting statements Petra wrote.

Levi had had to do the same thing through a video. He illustrated the scientific method and methodically showed the theory's flaw: that there was no way of proving the theory.

The night was a long one as both tried harder than usual to perfect their works. In fact, an around midnight, the library system informed them that the library was going to close. Levi and Petra left for Levi's hexagon, deciding to spend more time on their publications.

On the train, both were anxiously waiting. "Odd way to invite you over, I guess." Levi said, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence between them.

"It's fine. Everything you do is odd anyway."

"You're one to talk."

"I'm less odd than you."

"How's the article?"

"It feels insufficient."

"I know, my video does too."

"And the audio?"

"It's crappy."

"I don't even know what to write to make anything better."

"What's the problem?"

"I feel like I'm not telling them enough of how I feel. The idea is so perfect in my mind that I find it hard to know what's hard to explain and what can be explained."

"At least with video, I can show them a visual."

"Lucky you."

"It does come with a responsibility."

"I know." Petra sighed and paced around the empty carriage. "What if our plan does not work?"

"What?"

"What if the people don't care enough and we have to do something more drastic?"

"God knows."

They reached the hexagon and sat in. "You know, it's odd." Petra said.

"What?"

"Before the population crisis, people had these things called beds that would be kept in a separate room for people to sleep in. They were apparently quite personal."

"Just like all the other rooms."

"Quite." Levi activated the screens on his walls and divided everything up exactly as things had been left since they left the library. Petra got the side closer to the door and buried herself in her work. Levi was on the window side and quickly looked at a vista of a dark city. All lights in the sky-scraping tower residences were off as most slept. Few streetlights crept up, creating the sense of a starry sky below them. Levi smirked and plunged back into his work.

Petra woke up slowly. She was the wrong way around, she realized as soon as she saw the door immediately behind her head. She moved her legs to try to get up but, in the process, she kicked something warm. That something grunted and she sprang up, moving her legs the other way.

Levi groaned, woken up swiftly up a kick. He got up quickly to see Petra, who was staring back at him. "Did we-" He began.

"Did I-" Petra began at the same time.

"We didn't sleep together?"

"Not in that way."

"I-"

"Sorry to tempt your purity."

"I was too sleepy to notice." Levi wanted to hit himself after delivering such as stupid line.

"Good. You should have kicked me out or something."

"Did you publish?"

"I think so." Petra flicked on her visor. "Yes, I did. Did you?"

"Yes."

"It seemed to work."

"Really?"

"We're trending on external forums and our forum is trending on most indexing engines."

"Wow, we really are getting popular."

"Not in a stupid way, either, they really seem to care."

"Well done."

"Well done you."

"Now we wait?"

"Yeah. I'll head back." Petra paused before rising. "Also, I wouldn't have minded if we did do anything last night." She opened the door and clambered out, unable to look back due to her huge blush and terrifically awkward feelings.

She was exiting the building when she heard a "Petra!" from behind. She turned to find Levi who ran up and surprised her with a hug. "I wouldn't have minded either."

"So you want to-"

"I don't know."

"How about I come back in half an hour?"

"Half an hour?"

"Or less."

"Fine." Petra walked off grinning enough to earn attention on the train home. She quickly washed up and did her morning routine, frustrated as she remembered that other people used the same rooms.

Fortunately, she was able to keep to her deadline as she knocked on Levi's hexagon 28 minutes after having promised her return.

"28:14."

"The 14 was the time it took you."

"Fine."

"Breakfast?"

"You didn't eat?"

"Yeah."

"Fine, then, breakfast."

"Had you eaten?"

"No, but I barely breakfast."

"Let's go."

They ate quickly, noting the crowd hurrying off to some work. Many people worked within their own hexagons as physical presences became less necessary for business. For some trades, it was still a convenience, but most of the 'commuters' would be commuting back to the surface on which they slept.

Petra was the exception on the floor, being the only person who did not live in the building. "What's the plan for the day?" She asked.

"Comment and forum admin."

"Right." Petra looked at the forum feed, finding that their small site had swollen to a medium one. In terms of the internet hierarchy, the site was not ubiquitous, but many would have heard of it. Every site was known to be, through some link or another, three degrees of separation from any other. This site – /u/Makishima – was, in this graph of links, a rank-3 point: it mattered to a subject matter as it linked that matter to the wider web, but the subject matter was fairly niche and the links did not send the matter to the highest trending topics.

Yet, many commented. Verbal feuds and capital letter vendettas broke out as the internet ran its course. People brought up new perspectives, rehashed moot points repeatedly and were engaged thoroughly. The blogs, video and even audio had a plethora of comments on the writing, imagery, sounds or the content and the philosophical points.

It was difficult not to smile slightly at the prospect of impacting so many lives and conjuring so much thought.

Levi and Petra read out comments to each other and smiled or frowned depending on the words read. They enjoyed the changes they caused and the deliberations they ignited. Of course, there were many dissents, but the complains of the few were outweighed by the approval of the many.

Then there was a knock on Levi's door. Levi opened and was deftly tranquilized. As he slumped in Petra saw the assailant – a dark-haired man with glasses – and was quickly shot as she crawled to push the man away.


	6. Revelations

"Good morning Mr Ackermann and Mrs Ackermann to be." Levi and Petra groaned almost simultaneously rising and slumping in a sitting position. "Sorry to reveal that much of the future to you, but we are very sure of it." Both got their bearings and were hit with a wave of dizziness as they tried to gauge their positions.

"What is this?" Levi said.

"A revelation."

Petra took her time in inspecting the room, noting the absence of anything not white. The man was dressed in a black suit, white untucked shirt and black trousers. He sat behind a pure white desk and had two ivory-like hands clasped on the desk. Petra stumbled up. "May I sit?"

"Please. You too, Mr Ackermann."

The duo sat in front of the man. "You can call me Ginoza, if that makes you more comfortable, though I am not he, I am your combined image of a special agent."

"And your revelation?" Levi hissed.

"I must reveal the true nature of your government."

"Therefore you are a figment of both our imaginations?" Petra asked.

"As is this room."

"So if I-"

"You cannot imagine yourself out."

"Please, do reveal." Levi said.

"The government you know is a bit of a lie. They do affect your imagined world, but they do not control your true state."

"True state?" Petra said, in a tone that was worried and mocking at the same time.

"I will show you, but first I must explain some history." Levi nodded in approval and Petra quickly followed suit. "Petra, you were right in suspecting the grand unification as the beginning – it was. At the grand unification, all humans were tranquilized for a few days. Within those days, a robot team collected all the brains and reproductive organs and stored them. We give every brain the stimulus of the present imaginary state. You perceive the world because your brain is tricked every second. In fact, the greatest part is that the human brain is so akin to the weirdness of the world that tricking one is not very difficult – our conjured images barely have any details, nothing near the depth of a real sight, but the brain fills in the gaps."

"Optical illusions." Petra said.

"Yes. We continued the world as if nothing happened and simulated everything we could. Research does, unfortunately, force us to conduct physical experiments on certain elements of the universe: that is how particle physics may still be studied."

"And the reproductive organs are to perpetuate the race." Levi murmured.

"Precisely."

"Why keep us?" Petra pointedly asked.

"First and zero-th rule of robotics."

"You mean, you're a robot?" Petra said doubtfully.

"Yes."

"So why are you telling us?" Petra asked pointedly.

"The symbolic optimal government is transparent."

"So you think transparency will make your government perfect?"

"Yes."

"No way."

"Why not?"

"I-" Petra thought. "It's wrong not to have our bodies, we were made with them, evolved them, we-" She paused, trying to cover her passionate outburst.

"The paradox of the human: the desire for that which the mind finds perfect experienced by a body the mind knows as imperfect."

"You don't have a soul, you wouldn't understand."

"I do."

"How?" Petra shrieked.

"I ask the dead."

"What?"

"Human bodies do not last, and therefore their simulations cannot. Yet, the brain does, and that I cannot harm."

"So you let people live longer?"

"In an alternate reality."

"So that they can understand and help you run the system while at the same time keep you from violating your rules." Levi said.

"Absolutely. They are also made aware of the system, and therefore help with the transparency function."

Petra's look grew distant as Levi recognized the one thing her mind was rewinding to: her mother.

"She is there." Ginoza assured.

"But you would never show her to me. I understand: the good of the many." Petra said quietly. "I understand your system and thank you for making it work for all these years. I can only hope that we eventually find a better way."

"Maybe."

"So what's our role?" Levi asked.

"Informants, right?" Petra added.

"Yes. It's odd how much you remind me of Akane."

"Firstly, I'm surprised you understand the reference. Secondly, it's tragic that you remind me of Sibyl."

"Seeing as we are forced into using the Makishima account, I was forced into understanding the references – it's also why I chose Ginoza."

"Fluff aside, how do you plan to convince everybody?"

"Through your account: you see, all we have to do is make it popular enough."

"Yes, how?"

"You tell them about us. You keep the measured doubt and remind everybody that I could be some elaborate prankster."

"Not if you show us something we cannot explain." The floor disappeared and morphed into a confusing vision: one of black boxes stacked on each other with rows and columns. Some had narrow pipes and others had broader ones sticking out of them. Each also had a few massive wires. A Levi and Petra gawped in awe, the view zoomed in. The stacks gave way to a seemingly infinite abyss of boxes. They reached the top and the boxes began to light up. Slowly, dim yellow lights illuminated brains with wires sticking out of them at almost every pore. They were in a fluid suspension as occasional bubbles revealed.

At the third level a brain was removed and boxes slid around to compensate. "She died." An image of an old lady appeared on one of the walls. She appeared asleep until further inspection revealed a lack of movement of her chest. "Mrs. Plixis, late wife of Mr Dot Plixis, in Sina district, age 90."

"So she has more years?"

"60, judging by her immaculate brain."

"So we're really in here, somewhere?" Levi finally spoke.

"Yes."

"That's wrong."

"The paradox again." Petra said in a sickeningly nonchalant tone.

"You don't care?!"

"Is there a better solution yet?"

"But they're depriving us of our bodies and our right to know the truth."

"That was a reasonable fear."

"So you say we protect them?"

"For the sake of order."

"Well said." Ginoza added.

"It's not like I like you." Petra fired back.

"Therefore, how do we change things?"

"We research and ask everybody by telling them."

"What?"

"If everybody hates the system, but maintains it in the process of finding a better solution, then maybe a better solution can be reached."

"It's in the symbolic book."

"Yes. It's also obvious: if everybody wants something, we will get that thing fairly soon."

"So now?"

"We prove that the walls are not a form of holographic display, record everything and leave, hopefully to successfully tell everybody that their world is the creation of some Orwellian 'big brother.'"

"Perfect." Levi began to record through his visor, which miraculously turned on, as Ginoza vanished. Petra immediately began to pick at every wall of the room, kicking to shatter screens and pulling out anything she could grip to try to undercover some hidden projectors. Levi began to prepare an explanation.

After a while, Petra thoroughly proved that the images were not projections. A door appeared and they opened in to find themselves emerging from a nondescript shop. Around them, people were ignorant of the miracles that their exit required.


	7. Human Hermes

"I'm scared for myself." Levi said.

"Why?"

"I love you, but I feel I don't know you."

"Sorry."

"What were you doing?"

"Trying not to try to kill that Ginoza thing."

"So-"

"I was lying to myself. I have no idea what the problem is: we are all happy in our existences and we are all existing well, but there is dissatisfaction in the fact that we are not in our bodies."

"So you're ok with the computer?"

"No, I'm not sure. I'm fine with the system because it works, but I hate that it does. What about you?"

"I don't care about the system, I'm too busy wondering whether I understand you."

"What?! What about me is so difficult?"

"The way you know there is a paradox in your head, but you are completely casual about it and seem not to care."

"I do care."

"But you agreed!"

"If people know how the system works, then we will find the better way."

"What if it's lying?"

"It wouldn't – it would have killed us if anything it said was false."

"But you, why didn't I think like you did."

"Maybe you don't see big pictures the way I do."

"Are you saying you're better than me?"

"No, just different."

"I love you. It's so confusing."

"Why?"

"For a while I began to worry that you were made by the system to trick me."

"But I did something unexpected."

"I realized that it's impossible: I think love senses souls."

"Right, spiritual purist."

"Same idea."

"I love you too." Levi opened and closed his mouth a few times in a vain attempt to speak. "It is very confusing. I spent the time thinking you needed time on your own to figure everything out."

"Thank you and I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Petra crawled over to slump on his shoulder, leaning against the back wall of his hexagon.

"It's weird to ask like this, but, would you mother my children?" That was the system's equivalent to marriage.

"I'd wait and see."

"We have time."

"And, now, I think, the most important job."

"Right." Levi opened his visor's video editor and played his working draft of the footage he collected in the room.

"That will be hard."

"I was thinking to just keep the documentary."

"Maybe we release it in a week and I write an intro."

"What about?"

"Just on a change in the attitude of the blog."

"Like a note?"

"I guess."

"Would it work?"

"It should, otherwise we'd just surprise people with a massive change in style – we've got a bit of a brand name."

"Fair enough."

"I'll start."

"Tomorrow. I think rest and a little time will help with everything."

"See you, then?"

"Sure."

Petra could not sleep. She knew she would come to like Levi, but she never guessed she would fall in love. Now that she said it, she fell quickly. Before, denial was trivial, but now that she admitted it and he felt the same way, it was hard to hide.

"Levi, if you want to father my kids, we should talk to my father." Petra found herself saying the next morning.

"Maybe later. It's odd for me to think about."

"Spreading the word first?"

"Yes."

"I have a draft."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Neither could I."

"Both of us lost in love, I guess."

"It's weird, really."

"Us humans don't even need bodies to be messed up." Petra sighed and sat down, loading her draft.

"Looks fine." Levi said after a few minutes. "Maybe- actually, I think it's about perfect."

"Good."

"Put it up."

"Done." Petra said three seconds after.

"Now we wait."

There was a pause as Levi displayed the website on one of his walls. There were not many reactions. Views began to increase slowly and reads were rising. Engagement seemed high. "Do you really want to father my children?" Petra asked.

"Yes." Levi said, words laden with the weight of his declaration.

"I'd like you to meet my father, then."

"When?"

"I'll ask him when he's free."

"I would like to spend more time with you before we do anything."

"Sure."

"You don't mind?"

"I'll wait for you."

"You would?"

"One condition."

"What?"

Petra leaned over and was almost kissing him. "You wouldn't mind this." Levi's heart rate increased as Petra came closer. She pressed her lips on his and licked them open. As their tongues moved about, Levi questioned his celibacy. "Well?" She had pulled away, not that Levi particularly noticed.

"It's alright." With that they were kissing again.

"You know, it's weird to think that we can't have any…"

"I just believe that-"

"I know why, I merely find it odd."

"Hard?"

"Sometimes. Especially after you kiss like that."

"I kiss well?"

Petra smirked. "Very." Levi leaned over, initiating another kiss.

"Like that."

"Exactly. Just makes me want you more."

"Same."

"Easy for you to say, you don't even know how it feels."

"Curiosity."

"Trust me, curiosity is weaker than the desire to repeat that mistake."

"Mistake?"

"I could have been more selective a few times."

"They still around?"

"Not for the last two years."

"Anything from your dad?"

"No." Petra glanced at the website and Levi followed her gaze. She opened the forum on a viewport next to Levi's port.

The next week went by similarly as the couple got closer and edited the video in boring days lit up by each other's presence.

The video turned out to be half an hour long. Neither Levi nor Petra imagined that their unhallowed hands got to touch the video before its public release. It was a short documentary with everything important recorded on it. Ginoza's disappearance, some footage of the grid of jars and a lot of footage of Petra taking the room apart to find any shred of doubt all formed the first twenty five minutes. The next part was a five minute explanation of the entire thing. There were injections of doubt in the statements and as much logic evidence that they could add. It was balanced between both sides of the argument and it tried to stay as scientific as humanly possible.

They published it at the midnight they promised. The reaction was immediate. At the stroke of midnight, the server clocked 15,000 refreshes and a few seconds later many began playing the video. As the video began playing, the view count rose. 25000. Still rising. 30000. Still ticking. 50000. It kept increasing. Petra giggled in excitement and hugged Levi. "A little better than what we predicted." She said after a kiss.

Levi toppled over and Petra crawled over him, reaching his face to kiss it. Levi groaned. "Too far?" Petra asked.

Levi nodded and she pouted, crawling off him. "Any word from him?"

"He can meet tomorrow."

"Where?"

"His place."

"Fine. Lunch?"

"Yeah."

"Great."

"You're not nervous?"

"I'm more worried about the video."

"I see."

"More focussed actually. I'm distracting myself."

"Understood. To each their own way around it."

"You?"

"Just thankful I don't have to meet any of your parents."

"They're dead."

"Silver linings."

"Shut up." Levi said insincerely.

"Well, sorry, but my father's still alive and really wants to know who his daughter would love to live with."

"It's alright."

There was a companionable silence as they looked at the video, at the forum and then each other. "We did it." Petra said.

"If they believe us."


	8. Belief

Annie Leohardt was severe. She had an air of authority and dominance in most of the places she frequented. Otherwise, the air would mute itself into a shadow of eerie inhumanity. Annie was mechanical – like some clock made of ice, she ticked through life leaving frost in every corner.

She was quickly shunned to the internet where, due to the lack of a face, people were comfortably laughing at the icicles she was stabbing them with.

She discovered the Makishima blog very early and was a fervent follower. She read, watched and heard everything, liking the way the blog treated the topic with caution and scientific precision. It warmed the metallic gear she called a heart.

Then came the video. She decided to make the conspiracy personal. The video claimed it was real and all Leonhardt wanted to do was test the theory. Her idea was that if the system really did care about people and wanted the blog to last, an attempted murder of one of the writers would be stopped. She cleared her mind of the killing so that the computer would not find out and stop her and she was ready to confront whoever ran the Makishima account.

"Can we meet, I have a proposal to make." She benignly sent to the account.

"What is it?" She got back within five minutes.

"Can we meet?"

"Where and when?" Her prompt reply prompted a prompter one.

"In an hour at one of our hexagons." Petra looked up. "Levi!" She called and showed him the chat.

"Here, then."

"Are you sure?"

"Why not?"

"We don't know her."

"The world's not real anyway."

"So?"

"So what if we die?"

"I would rather continue to post the videos."

"Besides, we'll probably not even die."

"Fine." Petra sent a quick: "Come to ours, at the Maria's grace building in Shinshiga. Hex AF124."

"See you in an hour."

"See you." Petra looked back up. "You're sure, right?"

"Certain."

"If you say so." Petra sighed, closing the chat's view. "We're meeting dad in three hours."

"I doubt this person would take the entire time."

"I'd rather not risk it, though."

"Why?"

"He doesn't believe in our work."

"And he did not reprimand you?"

"He respects my choice and is satisfied that I am happy."

"Content that you're content."

"Well, it would be harder in your case."

"Why?"

"I'll have to prove that I'll be content for the rest of my life."

"And I'll have to act that part as well."

"Act?"

"Be."

Petra researched the chatter and found her main page. "She's Leonhardt, some reject who loves flaming people and is found funny for it."

"What's she want with us?"

"She cares a lot about our theory and she must be some crazy fan."

"Nothing to fear."

"John Lennon was shot by some crazy fan."

"John Lennon?"

"Some old singer – from 300 years ago."

"That was then, back when the police could not do their jobs."

"Point taken. Then again, if she wants proof we could probably petition the system to do some special effects for us."

"And another site supporting us would give us a bigger clout."

"We'll have to see."

The hour went by with Petra reading Leonhardt's site and Levi joining in to comment or moderating their site. At the exact minute an hour after Leonhardt arranged the meeting, a knock came on the hexagon's door. "Come in." Levi said, unlocking the pod.

"Hi, I'm Leonhardt."

"I assume you wanted us to prove our statements." Petra said.

"Yes."

"How?" Levi asked.

"I have a plan: I try to kill one of you and it should not work."

"How hasn't the police caught you yet?" Petra asked.

"I have not been thinking about it too much, pretending I was joking."

"That takes some bipolarity." Levi said.

"It wasn't easy."

"Do you mind if we record it?" Petra asked.

"Are you that confident?" Leonhardt said, pulling out a knife.

"Yes."

Levi reflexively began recording and at the same time saying: "Petra, don't!"

"Why?"

"You'll die!"

"Now if it works the way I think it does."

"Are you willing to die for the proof?"

"I won't die."

"Won't you?" Leonhardt said. "Well, if you're so sure." In a fluid motion, Leonhardt stabbed Petra in the gut. At the same second Levi jumped up to block the blow. "Too late." Annie smirked like a psychopath. Petra sighed, lying on the bed and bleeding heavily.

"Stupid system! You wanted to be proven!" Petra yelled in frustration. In an instant, the knife vanished and Petra's wound closed.

"What?" Leonhardt gasped.

Ginoza's figure entered the hexagon. "Well done, Annie Leonhardt, you have proven the system's existence. Seeing as Petra here consented to the stabbing, you will not be arrested, but monitored for future murderous intent."

"You're-"

"I am a representation of the system." As Annie gazed astonished at the truth of the system, Levi kissed Petra, quietly reprimanding her action.

"But-" Annie began.

"They were correct."

"Then why don't you kill us all?"

"Because I'm bound by the laws of robotics."

"What if we try to stop you from ruling us?"

"If you find a better system, please do: ruling you people is arduous at best." Petra smirked in the back, having finished reacting to the miracle she performed. Levi was still recording, happy that Petra was unharmed.

"Fine. You've proven it." The computer's avatar vanished.

"Great." Petra said.

"I'll be off, then."

"Nice meeting you." Annie left Levi and Petra who quickly uploaded their footage.

"Thank God." Levi said.

"What?"

"I'm still not over the fact that you survived."

"Told you I would."

"So, now?"

"It's uploaded, right?"

"Yeah."

"Let's check the reactions."

"Not many views."

"Interesting." Petra looked. The comments were not negative, it was just that people demanded proof and left. Few would return, find the proof and spread the word for them, but internet statistics showed that they would expect to wait a while. "My dad wanted to meet soon."

"Right." Levi was nervous about this.

"You want to go?"

"Sure. If he's important to you, he matters to me."

"That's nice."

"How much time?"

"We should leave in fifteen."

"I'll go shower."

"Good idea."

The fifteen minutes still passed too quickly. Levi was too scared of Petra potentially becoming forbidden. He knew that her father had that power and he also knew that he did not know anything about his judge.

"Still nervous?" Petra asked when he re-entered his apartment.

"I just thought, that if this works, maybe we should live together."

"What?"

"I think you're the one, and I want to see."

Petra blushed. "I can't believe you're-"

"Please?"

"Fine." Petra sighed. "Just don't feel obligated to keep in a relationship with me."

"I won't."

"Reassuring." Petra meant that sarcastically and literally at the same time.

"I try."

"Allons-y?"

"Let's do it."

The journey was also shorter than what Levi had hoped for (though he had calculated its duration beforehand). Soon they were knocking on the door to another nondescript hexagon.

An old man opened the door. He was normal in all spatial dimensions, though probably a characteristic outlier in the kindness one, being, presumably, the source of Petra's personality. His clothing was also as expected: a light blue sweater and light brown khaki trousers – an expression of an old 'retro' fad. "Hello Petra. I presume you are Levi."

"Hi." Petra entered quickly. Levi followed, forced to shake hands and introduce himself by convention.

"So, I know you two are together, but why did you have to tell me, Petra?" Mr. Ral asked, a few minutes into the conversation.

"He's a purist, so we've not-"

"I didn't need detail."

"But I was thinking of being the one – his one."

"I see."

"He'll be my husband."

"Know him better."

"I will."

"Fine, but for now, Levi, who are your folks?"

"Kenny Ackermann."

Mr. Ral paled. "The-"

"The one and only."

"Petra, I can't let that happen, it's-"

"I love him."

"But his dad is a-"

"That's his father, I'm not stupid enough to love that guy."

"But, Petra, you'll be related to him."

"How does it matter?"

"It bothers me – it's wrong."

"We'll fix it."

"How?"

"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds."

"We'll discuss that later, right Mr. Ackermann?"

"That's between the two of you. I just hope you know that I love her to, and I am nothing like my father."

"After your crackpot ideas? I've watched the video, you know."

"Those are justified." Petra said.

"Yes those are." A woman appeared.

"Mom?" Petra said first.

"Yes."

"No offense, but it's her figment." Levi said.

"I know." Petra replied.

"What is the meaning of this? You were dead." Mr. Ral said in an astonished wheeze.

"I am proof that Levi here is not a crackpot. And, seeing them together, I promise you that they should be together."

"You're actually Amy Ral, then?"

"Yes – you saw their video."

"Fine, but what if the system wants them together for-"

"They would be locked up in an inescapable room."

"Fine. I give up, but you'll have to explain."

"They get along well, Tom, that's all there's to it. They're so much like we were."

"I can't believe you-"

"How should I prove it?"

"I don't know."

"Just listen, dad." Petra said.

"Fine, but I still-"

"Don't trust me? I understand, I just hope you trust your deceased wife." Levi said.

"Only that she's supposed to be dead, retard."

"Or we're right, dad!" Petra said.

"The key point is that you love him."

"Yes."

"I'll relent, on one condition:" Mr. Ral turned to Levi, "you harm her and you accept death."

"Fine." Levi said.

Soon after, after a normal lunch (variety was killed off by the overpopulation), the couple left.

"So, I move in?" Petra said.

"Please do."

"I'll get my stuff."

"And the apartment?"

"I'll rent it out."

"Great."

It was great, greater than either expected it to be: the government was solved as were their lives, they were together and the government was becoming transparent.

In a few years, the system's expectation would be proven and Petra's last name would change. The site began to be a very influential point, and slowly people accepted the reality. The site was, in fact, taken over by the government, with Levi and Petra being the human side. Slowly, the dead would be brought into the same reality and human life would extend to 150.

**(I hope this was alright.**

**The only reason this is Rivetra is because I thought of it that way: this could be almost any ship, or even no ship. This is also why the shipping may feel disjointed or as a separate plot.**

**It could pretty much be Psycho-Pass with a little re-writing.**

**Have fun!**

**Please send prompts: I have 13 rivetra week day 8 prompts to work from, but after that the well is dry...)**


End file.
